My Super Bowl Hangover

I did have a great time at the Super Bowl and in the Phoenix Area, even though the Pats were essentially out-played and out-coached by the 12-point underdog Giants. I guess being in 4 of the last 8 Super Bowls and winning three of those makes Sunday’s 30-second loss to the Giants not necessarily as depressing as it could have been.

To their credit the Giants ate up the clock, kept the game close, and gave it to their offense for one last game winning drive… and they pulled it off. After my initial melancholy wore off, I did congratulate those around me (that, or get my ass kicked!).

It was a great game.

Don’t get me wrong– I’m mad as hell, but being there and losing 17-14 in the last minute rather than a blow out, ridiculous penalty or special teams play determining the outcome was at least somewhat comforting: it was an honest beating. If the Pats had to lose, at least it was with some dignity. 31-14 would have brought me to tears; 17-14 just got me angry and frustrated.

The worst part wasn’t the cussing from the smug Giants fans, it wasn’t the initial shock of the how the potentially best season in NFL history ended with a thud, rather it was facing the schleps at work today. It was funny: those who didn’t even know who the Giants were seven months ago were the most obnoxious. Then there were the tongue-and-cheek condolences. Yet, those who could appreciate the 18-year wait for the Giants to win another Super Bowl also appreciated the nature of the victory and were nervous until the very end. That’s what it felt like in the stands: there was a sense that the game wasn’t over until it was absolutely over. The Giants fans’ elation was muted until that end and exhaustion was on everyone’s face. This was a battle and they knew it too.

It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I had a great time in the Phoenix-Glendale-Scottsdale area. The most bitter moment was at the end of the trek. Driving home from Newark Liberty Airport (quite possibly the worst airport in the developed world) I needed to take Exit 9 off of the NJ Turnpike. The sign read:

Exit 9

Rutgers University

Shore Resorts

Seems simple enough. But the exit leads to two particular routes around Jersey: